


Two Left Feet

by Starfangs_Secrets



Category: Zootopia
Genre: Alternate Universe, Dance classes, Dancing, F/M, ZPD - Freeform, two left feet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-27
Updated: 2017-08-28
Packaged: 2018-12-20 14:48:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11923173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starfangs_Secrets/pseuds/Starfangs_Secrets
Summary: The ZPD Charity Gala is just a month away, and, as the first rabbit officer, Judy Hopps is required to attended. There’s just one, teeny tiny problem: she can’t dance. Not wanting to make a fool of herself, she seeks professional help. With a fox as a teacher, how will things end for her? AU WildeHopps





	1. Why Do You Dance?

**Author's Note:**

> Hey all! I am working on Embrace It lol but this was a fun little project I did for Cimar of Turalis WIldeHopps and his collaboration project: What If? Collaboration! It just went live today, which I'm so excited about lol so check that out, and I hope you enjoy this as well :)

“So, we’re really going to do this again?” Nick asked as he and his wife walked down the sidewalk. “How many times would that make it now?”

            Judy rolled her eyes at the tod. “Yes, Nick. We are, for the _nth_ time. You thought it was a good idea earlier. What’s the deal now?”

            The tod smirked at the bunny. “Nothing, Carrots. You’re just cute when you’re frustrated.” He booped her on the nose before she could retort, causing it to twitch. “Especially when your nose twitches just like that.” As he watched his wife’s cheek flush, a smug smirk stretched across his muzzle.

            He was unprepared when Judy stood on her tiptoes, closing the distance between their lips. The doe managed to give the fox a smug look despite her blush. “You look cute when you’re surprised.”

            Nick let out a shaky laugh at that, his ears heating up a bit. “Sly bunny.”

            “Dumb fox,” Judy grinned.

            The two continued their walk to Flitwick’s Arcade paw-in-paw. It wasn’t much longer until they reach the establishment, making their way to the PIXAR machine. Practiced movements had the two getting comfortable in their seats rather quickly, they probably had spent enough time there that they could claim partial ownership by now, and soon they were sifting through the selections.

            “What do you want to do this time?” Nick asked as he gazed at the screen curiously.

            “How about...this one?” Judy asked, pointing to an option as she turned to Nick.

            Seeing what she wanted to do, Nick grinned. “Sure, why not? Maybe I won’t have two left feet in this experience.”

            “Pfft, I highly doubt that.” Judy chuckled as she selected the option before putting the visor on.

            “We’ll see,” Nick challenged playfully as he followed his mate in his actions. Soon, the both of them were asleep, the machine sending them off into another adventure.

~o.8.o~

Heart pounding, paws shaking slightly with nervousness, Judy Hopps felt frozen in place before the suddenly ominous door in front of her. _‘You can do this, Hopps.’_ She thought encouragingly to herself as she stared at the door knob. _‘You’re the first bunny cop. You can take down a rhino, and you solved three cold cases in your first week!’_ That being said, she felt very naked in her civilian clothing, her pep talk not amounting to much.

            “Are you going to stand there all day and stare at it?” A male voice suddenly spoke from behind her, causing the doe to jump slightly. She whirled around, coming face to face with another rabbit. He was white with odd black stripes on his face and ears,  dressed in a brown muscle shirt and black jeans. His blue eyes were slightly curious as they observed her.

            “What? No.” Judy stammered out with an embarrassed chuckle, a paw reaching up to tug at one of her ears. “I just…” She sighed. “I’m not very good at this.”

            Understanding dawned on the buck’s face, and he offered her a soft smile. “Most people that come here aren’t to begin with, but that changes quickly.” He offered her a paw. “Name’s Jack Savage, and this is my dance studio.”

            “Judy Hopps.” She smiled as she took his paw and gave it a firm shake.

            Jack quirked an eyebrow. “ _The_ Judy Hopps?” At her nod, he whistled as he opened the door for her. “Wonderful! Well, come on in.” Judy followed the buck into the studio, the sign above the door reading: _Savage Steps Dance Studio_.

            The buck continued as he led her in. “I will admit, I’m curious as to why you want to learn how to dance.”

            A long-suffering sigh left Judy. “The ZPD is having its Annual Charity Gala in a month, and since I’m the first bunny cop…my presence is mandatory.” She grumbled the last part, clearly unhappy with the turn of events. Having spent her whole life trying to achieve her dream job, she had never given attention to pursuits other country does often pursued, such as cooking, music, or dancing. It just wasn’t in her agenda, and her tomboy disposition made it unappealing.

            Now, she was kind of regretting not giving them at least a peeking glance.

            Jack gave a soft chuckle. “Well, you came to the right place then,” he said as he led her across the studio.

            Judy took this moment to take it in. It was fairly large; the space being rented in a part of Savannah Central that was occupied mainly by larger mammals. It made the “small” studio more than spacious for small mammals like themselves. The hardwood floors were waxed, the gleam adding a warm feeling when in contrast to the soft yellow walls. A large mirror with a balance bar took up an entire wall, and there were already a few mammals practicing in front of it.

            “This place is very homey,” Judy commented as they reached the reception desk.

            “Thanks.” Jack smiled as he made his way back behind it. She noticed the slight blush on his ears, his expression suddenly sheepish. “My business partner picked out all the decorations. I think she did a good job.”

            Her lips tugging into a knowing smile, Judy couldn’t help herself. “She?” The doe could admit to herself that she’d been expecting the polite buck to come on to her. Ever since she’d made it as cop, bucks had been trying to date her. It was annoying, painful in an embarrassing sort of way, and sometimes, downright demeaning. She was glad that would not be the case here.

            His blush deepened as he coughed into his fist, averting his gaze momentarily. She giggled. “Anyways, we have five teachers at the moment, including myself, and only one is available to take another student. His name is Nick, and he’ll be here in another hour or so, if you don’t mind waiting.” Jack gave her an apologetic smile. “He’s not much of a morning mammal, so his shift starts at ten.”

            “That’s fine. I’ll just go grab a snack, then. How much will these classes cost? And...” The two rabbits took the following moments to hammer out the details and decide which package Judy wanted to buy, before settling on the one that seemed to meet her needs. It entailed two classes a week for three weeks.

            She hoped it would be enough.

            When Judy came back to the studio fifteen minutes to ten, the door no longer caused her irrational fear, though she did still feel out of place. Now that it was a little later in the morning, there were a few more mammals in the studio, and she watched as they gracefully moved across the dance floor.

            Making her way over to the reception desk, she noted that there was an arctic vixen occupying it, rather than Jack. The vixen was beautiful, her fur a dark brown since it was summer. Her eyes were a striking blue as she smiled at the doe.

            “Hey there! My name’s Skye, how can I help you today?”

            “I purchased a three-week lesson plan with, uh, Nick? I think that was it?” Judy muttered the last part to herself, feeling unsure once again, and it frustrated her. She was never unsure, for pea’s sake!

            “Yes, Jack told me.” Skye said as she typed away on her computer. “Nick should be here soon, so you can do some stretches until then, and I’ll direct him to you once he arrives.”

            Not sure what the vixen meant by stretches, and not wanting to make a further fool of herself, Judy decided to take a seat at the benches on the opposite wall, and wait until her instructor arrived. As time ticked away, she began to wonder what type of mammal Nick was, and realized she forgot to ask what species he was. _‘Not that it matters.’_ She thought idly. _‘I’m just curious. I mean, it would be awkward if he was a large mammal.’_

            Lost in her thoughts as she was, she snapped back to reality when the door to the studio opened, and in walked a red fox tod. He was dressed in black sweatpants and a white tank top, a forest green duffle bag draped over one shoulder.

            Her nose twitched.

            While Judy no longer had an issue with foxes, her friendship with Gideon a testament of that, she was suddenly apprehensive of this fox. Why? _‘Because he’s…he’s…_ hot _.’_ She thought with a blush warming her ears as she cast her gaze away from the predator as he made his way to the reception desk. Having no experience in that department, she always felt like a kit when in the presence of a mammal she found attractive, and this was no exception. She just hoped he would go away quickly so she could focus on her dancing.

            So focused was she in ignoring the hot-fox, as her mind had helpfully labeled him, and everything around her for that matter, Judy started slightly when a male voice sounded from in front of her. “Judy Hopps?”

            Her head jerked up at the sound of her name, and wide amethyst met friendly emeralds.

            The red fox smiled as he held out his paw to the rabbit doe gazing up at him with the most beautiful eyes he’d ever seen. “My name’s Nick Wilde, and I’ll be your dance instructor for the next three weeks.”

            “N-nice to meet you.” Judy managed to get passed her suddenly dry throat, her paw disappearing within his much larger one. Her nose wouldn’t stop twitching.

            Seeing her reaction to him, Nick’s smile became strained as he released her paw. “Well, let’s get you started, shall we? We’ll be occupying the space over there.” He pointed to a small section of the studio floor near the mirrors that would be more than enough for them.

            Getting up, Judy followed Nick as she tried to get her nerves under wraps. She felt herself heat up even more with embarrassment as he gave her a once over.

            “What you’re wearing today will have to do, but I recommend coming to the next session in clothes that will allow for comfortable and easy movement.” Nick instructed, and his professionalism calmed her slightly.

            Glancing down at the jeans and pink flannel shirt she was wearing, she saw his point. “Okay.”

            Pleased with her compliance, he then led her into a series of stretches that were both similar to and different from the ones she did for her own training. Having something a bit familiar gave her a slight confidence boost.

            Sensing that her nervousness around him lessened a bit as they worked through the stretches, Nick decided to break the ice with some small talk. He found it helped a lot with the smaller mammals he taught. “So, just to be sure, you’re _the_ Judy Hopps, right?”

            Judy allowed herself to chuckle at that as she moved out of a stretch and into another one, following Nick’s lead. “Yes, but it’s not that big of a deal, honestly. I’m not even the only rabbit in the ZPD anymore.” And it was true. After just hitting her one year mark a few days ago, another rabbit had joined the ZPD at precinct five in Tundratown. His name was Jeffrey Leaps, and while she hadn’t met him yet, she heard he was promising.

            “It’s because you’re the first.” Nick said as he stood to his full height, bringing one arm over his head, his other paw coming up to further pull it down to stretch out his arm muscles. “The firsts of anything are always memorable since they’re the ones who break the molds placed upon them.” He glanced down and their eyes met and held, a bit of his admiration shining through. “I’d say that’s a big deal, Ms. Hopps.”

            “P-please, call me Judy.” The doe stammered, her ears and cheeks flushed with warmth.

            “Very well, Judy.” Nick smiled, paws on his hips. “Now that our stretches are done, we can begin planning out the next three weeks. But first, let’s talk goals. Why do you want to learn to dance, Judy?”

            “Well,” Judy felt her cheeks warm even further at having to admit it for a second time that morning, “I’m not very good at dancing, and the ZPD is having their Gala in a month…I don’t want to make a fool of myself.” _‘Especially when it took so much to prove myself to them.’_ She thought with determination.

            “I see.” Nick said, a slight frown on his face. _‘No passion. This is going to be boring, no matter how pretty she might be.’_ A smile replaced the frown before she could notice. “Since those events are usually filled with mammals who care more about flaunting their wealth than dancing, we can start with the basics, and work our way from there.”

            Judy had a retort on the tip of her tongue at that, but found it twisted when the tod placed his paws on her arms. She squeaked, her ears red as they pressed against her back, nose twitching as Nick quickly removed his paws from her.

            Now, the tod openly frowned at her. “Judy…”

            “I’m sorry, you just surprised me!” The doe explained, flustered. Tugging at one of her ears, she averted her eyes with embarrassed shame.

            Nick took her in, the defensive body language, her twitching nose, and sighed. “I don’t think this will work, Ms. Hopps.”

            “What?” Her head snapped up to look at Nick, surprised by this turn of events. “Why?”

            “Because I can’t teach someone who is afraid of me.” Nick said softly, his expression one of resigned disappointment.

            “That’s not—I’m not afraid of you, Nick.” Judy asserted as she frowned up at the tod, confused as to how he could have come to such a conclusion.

            Charismatic as he was, Nick was especially sensitive to the body language of those around him. Particularly that of prey. “I know the signs of when a mammal is afraid of me, Ms. Hopps.” He pointed to his nose, giving her a pointed look. While he hadn’t scented fear coming from her yet, he could scent her nervousness and uneasiness to his presence.

            “But I’m not.” She insisted. “I’m…” Judy blushed at the thought of telling this tod she found him attractive. In fact, she’d rather die than admit that. Instead, she decided to go for a little white lie. “I’m just nervous about dancing…I’m…I’m really bad at it.” Okay, so it wasn’t much of a lie. She really _was_ bad at it, but it wasn’t the whole truth. He didn’t need to know that, though. “But I want to learn. Please...give me a chance.”

            Giving her a dubious look, Nick stared at her for a good moment, taking in her determined expression. Her nose was still twitching, and her scent was still nervous, but she seemed adamant about ignoring it. It was the spark of passion he saw within her amethyst eyes that made him give in. _‘The moment I scent fear, I’m ending this.’_ “If you insist, Ms. Hopps.”

            “Please, call me Judy.” The doe insisted, giving him a tentative smile.

            He couldn’t help the soft smile that tugged at his lips, nor did he fight the desire to tease her. “I don’t know, you look more like a ‘Carrots’ to me.”

            “Carrots?!” Judy laughed, not at all insulted by the name. In fact, she was relieved by the play at some humor. “My name is Judy!”

            “Nah, definitely Carrots.” Nick nodded to himself seriously, paw under his chin, before he gave a soft chuckle. “Alright, let’s get started. First, the frame.” Remembering how she reacted to him touching her, Nick tried a different route. He brought his right arm up to shoulder height, his elbow bending and his paw positioned higher than his elbow. His left arm was in a similar position, with his paw on the same level as his elbow.

            “This is the frame for females.” The tod informed the doe. “You want it to be strong.”

            Taking in his pose, Judy did her best to imitate it. Lifting her paws in the air, she felt silly without having a mammal there, but trusted Nick and his instruction.

            Spotting a few weak points, Nick dropped his arms and came up beside Judy. Paws hesitating in the air around her arms, he met her gaze. At her nod, he placed his paws on her arms, adjusting their position in the air and testing their strength. When he was satisfied, he nodded. “This is the base and frame for every dance.”

            “Okay.” Judy nodded, her face full of determination. _‘I can do this. I can do this. I can…’_

            Nick then did something unexpected once again. He took her right paw in his, and then took her left paw and placed it on his shoulder, the difference in height forcing her to adjust the frame slightly. He then placed his free paw on her waist, their bodies moving a bit closer to make up for the height difference.

            Heart pounding, ears burning, Judy looked up at the fox.

           Nick smiled down at her apologetically. “I’ll see if I can find a mammal more your height for you to practice with when you know more. This will have to do for now. I’m going to take a step forward with my right foot, and you’ll take a step back with your left, okay?”

            “Okay...” Judy said, her voice wavering a bit as her eyes lowered and zeroed in on their feet. She felt her confidence fading as Nick began to take the first step.

            Somewhere between Nick taking that step forward, and Judy taking her step backwards, their feet got tangled, and with an undignified yelp from the fox, the two of them went plummeting to the floor.

            Amidst the giggles from the others in the room, Nick managed to get his arms under him and hoist himself up. “How…?”

            “I’m sorry!” A voice squeaked from under him.

            Tipping his muzzle downward, he realized Judy was under him. Even with her ears draped over her face, he could see the blush in them.

            “I told you I was bad at dancing.” Judy continued, her paws coming up to tug at her ears.

            “But...that was one step!” Nick protested in disbelief as he moved off of her, still unable to comprehend how they ended up on the floor from _one simple_ step. Judy’s embarrassed squeak had the fox’s ears pinning down against his head. _‘This is going to be more work than I thought.’_

~o.8.o~

For the second session that week, Judy ran down the hallway to the dance studio, more than a bit flustered as she clutched her duffle bag closely. _‘I can’t believe I’m this late!’_

            Everything had been going according to schedule, and it was nearly fifteen minutes to the end of her shift when they had gotten a call for a bank robbery on Elm Street. Fortunately, they had been able to catch the robber--a platypus who had been in their bingo book for a while now--with no casualties. However, it had taken up more time then she had thought, and after a quick text message and an apology to Nick, the tod had been very understanding and agreed to keep the studio open for her so they could have their lesson.

            Dressed in pale lavender workout sweats, she arrived at the door and crouched by the potted plant by the entrance, her paw digging around in the fake soil for a bit, as per Nick’s instructions. Loud music could be heard playing through the door as she quickly found the key. Opening the door, the loud music made her wince slightly as she made sure to close it behind her. Turning around, she was mesmerized by the vision before her.

            There was no one inside the studio save for herself and Nick. She wasn’t sure what type of music was currently playing; some oddly hypnotic combination of  rock, orchestra, and dubstep. Whatever it was, the fox moved to it with fluid grace and passion. Each gesture was focused, driven with such force that the almost angry element to it made the doe wonder if perhaps he had had a bad day. Most of her focus, however, was stuck on the thought that the tod was topless, and she was privy to every ripple of lean muscle under his russet fur.

            Her nose twitched.

            As the music came to a sudden climatic ending, Nick spun himself before ending in a crouch with his paw pressed against the floor as the song ended, panting heavily.

            There was a beat of pure silence before Judy realized she needed to breathe, her gasp filling the silent room save for Nick’s panting. The sound caused the fox’s ears to perk up and his eyes to meet hers through the mirror. He gave her a smile as he panted, slowly rising to his feet as he did so.

            “Hey, you made it, Carrots.” Nick panted as he walked to a stool to the side where a towel and several water bottles rested. Grabbing one, he chugged it swiftly before grabbing another. This one, the tod upended over his head, the water saturating his fur before he shook himself out. He then grabbed the towel and passed it roughly over his fur. Once he was done passing it over his head, he caught Judy staring at him.

            “Sorry.” He said sheepishly. “We can’t sweat, and I hate panting. I find this to be the quickest way to cool off.”

            “It’s...fine.” Judy tried to say passed her suddenly dry mouth. She then flicked her gaze to the radio on the floor by the stool. “What were you doing?”

            “This is going to be more work for me if you can’t tell I was dancing, Carrots.” Nick teased as he grabbed the ends of the towel and looped it around the back of his neck, holding on to them as he turned to face the bunny. There was a smirk on his maw and a twinkle of mischief in emerald eyes.

            Judy rolled her eyes at that, her own lips tugging into a smile. “You know what I meant. What were you dancing to?”

            “That? It was a routine for an audition.”

            The doe’s ears perked with interest at that. “Audition?”

            Nick gave a breathless, almost bitter chuckle. “What? You thought this was my career choice? To be a dance instructor?”

            Judy flushed at the patronizing tone the fox had taken. “I-I--”

            “Don’t worry about it.” Nick said dismissively as he waved a paw at her. He then proceeded to pull the rolled up towel from around his neck, working the slightly damp cloth through the fur of his chest to further dry it, his back to hear.

            As her amethyst eyes watched him absently, Judy mulled over the words of the fox. After a beat of silence, the doe asked a question. “Why did you want to be a dancer?”

            The fox paused in his motion, back still to the doe, his ears angled towards her. She stared at his back silently, waiting for him to answer. When she thought he would continue to ignore her, NIck let out a soft sigh.

            “I’m sure you’re familiar with the opinion most mammals have of foxes.” Nick began in a somber tone. He was still facing away from her, so he didn’t see how guilt flitted across her face for a moment, for at one point in her life, she had shared those feelings. “Shifty, sly, can’t be trusted. It’s made finding honest work difficult for a lot of us.”

            Feeling for the tod, Judy opened her mouth to say something--anything--when he turned around, and she was stunned back into silence by the passion setting his eyes ablaze.

            “But when I dance, they’re forced to acknowledge my skill. They can’t accuse me of cheating, because you _can’t_ get good by taking _short-cuts_.” Nick placed a paw on his chest. “When I dance, they don’t see a _fox_. They see _me_.” Sometime during his passion-induced spiel, the tod had closed the distance between them, less than a foot keeping them apart. Judy watched transfixed as the light in emerald greens dimmed slightly, their gazes locking. “When I dance, it’s the only time I feel...free.”

            The last part was said in a whisper, their gazes fixed on the other’s eyes. Something in the air changed; a spark zinging between the two mammals. Judy couldn’t stop her eyes from dropping for a second to his lips, before bouncing up to meet his gaze. She felt a deep flush swamp her ears as she found Nick’s eyes settled on her own lips.

            Abruptly, Nick’s eyes widened and he turned his face away from her. It was then, as the fox brought a paw up to his maw to cough into it awkwardly, that Judy noticed just how close the two of them were.

            “Let’s, ah,” Nick cleared his throat, his ears a bit red. “Let’s begin the lesson.”

            And so, an embarrassed fox and bunny began their second dance lesson together.


	2. Let The Music Guide You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here is the last part!

“This is a bad idea.” Judy muttered to herself as she hugged the sweater closer to herself. She was currently making her way to a club called _La Rosa Negra_ , dressed in a dress she was completely uncomfortable in, all at the suggestion of her dance instructor.

            _“Obviously you watch too much ballroom dancing.”_ The tod had said after the nth time she’d managed to get them to tumble to the floor. _“While that’s good, it’s making you too stiff; too unnatural. Meet me at this club, and wear something spicy. Let’s see if I can’t make a dancer out of you yet.”_

            That had been a week ago. At first she had been against it, but after another week of no progress and the Gala right around the corner, she finally acquiesced to the fox’s request, and agreed to meet him at the Latin club that night around six. It was her day off, so she’s had all day to regret her decision.

            _‘I’m Judy Hopps.’_ She thought stubbornly. _‘I never give up!’_

            She began to rethink that declaration as she finally came upon the entrance of _La Rosa Negra_. It was a rather spacious establishment, set up between a twenty-four hour dive restaurant and a Jazz night club that she didn’t bother to get the name of.  She could hear the Spanish music flowing from the building, overpowering anything else. Above the doors was a sign shaped like a rose, it’s color black, and nothing else. No words, but she knew it was the club, because she’d Zoogled what the name meant.

            “The Black Rose.” She said to herself as she gazed up at the sign. Nervous amethyst flicked to the bouncers--a male tiger and male black panther--who were giving her a curious eye. Giving herself a mental shake, she forced her nervousness to the side as she made her way to the doors.

            Once inside, Judy felt her eyes widen by what she was seeing. There were mammals everywhere, and they were moving in ways she’d never seen before. In ways she never thought were possible. In ways… A gazelle couple caught her attention, and Judy couldn’t help but tilt her head to the side.

            A large paw on her shoulder had her jumping, her cop training kicking in as she grabbed a hold of said paw and hauled the larger mammal over her. With a startled yelp from the mammal, she was left with a surprised Nick looking up at her from the floor.

            “Nick?” Judy asked in surprise, before she let out an embarrassed meep. “I’m sorry!”

            “Cop. Right.” Nick grunted as he slowly sat up. “I forgot.” He rubbed at his back from the floor, his emerald gaze rising to meet her worried eyes as he gave her a genuine smile. “I also keep forgetting how strong you are.”

            She barely heard him over the loud music, but it was enough to get a blush out of her at the hidden compliment. _‘Stop it.’_ She quickly helped the tod up from the floor, trying to be as unnoticeable as possible. While they did garter a few glances from the other dancers--she had just _flipped_ someone--the various couples in the club were too busy enjoying themselves to really pay them more than a cursory glance.

            As the tod dusted himself off, Judy took a moment to take in what he was wearing. It was not his usual sweats that he wore to practice. Instead, he wore fitted, tan jeans, and a green Hawaiian button-up shirt without a tie that oddly seemed to fit the whole vibe of the club. Overall, it made the tod very attractive.

            Once he was sure there was nothing on him, Nick turned his attention to Judy, and quirked a brow at her. “Cold?”

            “What?” She nearly shouted.

            He gestured to her sweater, and leaned in closer to her. “It’s hot in here, Carrots. Take it off, or you’ll overheat.”

            Flushing slightly at his proximity, and the idea of removing her sweater, but the doe ultimately complied as she removed the article, revealing the dress underneath. It was something Fru-Fru--an arctic shrew she had saved from a runaway tiger-sized basketball--had gotten for her as a gift at her one year anniversary at the ZPD, and the doe had been too embarrassed to wear it. Until now.

            The dress was made of soft material, the color a pale blue. It was a sweetheart neckline held up with thin straps, the bodice accentuating the subtle curves of her upper body with a ribbon around her middle emphasizing her small waist. The skirt flowed loosely around her generous hips, the material flirting with her knees as she walked. It was revealing without being indecent; innocent almost, yet completely out of her comfort zone.

            Nick couldn’t help the grin that stretched his maw as he took her in. “You clean up nicely.”

            Judy rolled her eyes, even as her ears flushed at his perusal. “Let’s just get this over with.” She said as she made to venture further into the club. She was stopped by a paw on her smaller one. She paused and turned just her head to look back at the tod.

            “I mean it.” Nick said as he leaned in closer to her ear, his breath warming the fur there. “You look beautiful.”

            The doe’s ears flopped down against her back at the sincerity in Nick’s face and tone, and found herself speechless. Since the near incident that first week, the fox had  gone out of his way to present a professional atmosphere between them. She had been both grateful and frustrated by the fox’s efforts. The two feelings did not mesh well, and she found herself staying up late at night, her thoughts plagued by the talented tod.

            With him being so close after a week of distance, she didn’t resist it when the tod took a firmer grip of her paw, and led her further into the club and onto a section of the dance floor reserved for mammals their height. It was cramped, it was hot, and Judy would’ve felt claustrophobic if her focus wasn’t on Nick. She nearly let out a squeak of embarrassment as the tod drew her in closer; closer than they’d ever been during one of their sessions together.

            Nick leaned in close so he could be heard once more. “You see how they feel the music?” He gestured to the mammals around them as he placed his paws on her hips. “Let the music guide you. Feel it in your body, and let it move you.”

            It was with determination that Judy tried to do as instructed, giving it her all. The result was Nick yelping slightly in pain as she stomped on his feet. “I’m sorry!” She blurted, completely embarrassed. “This is useless. I don’t know why I thought I could learn to dan--”

            “Hey, easy, Carrots.” Nick shouted to the humiliated doe. He placed a paw on her cheek to coax her gaze to meet his. Normally he would never do such a thing, the attraction between them dangerous to his current job; but the music made his blood sing in his veins, and he couldn’t bring himself to care in that moment as their eyes met. “Let’s try something else. Trust me?”

            Searching his eyes, Judy gave a hesitant nod. She was confused when the fox then made his way behind her, and turned to ask him what he was doing when she felt him press his chest to her back. It effectively shut her up, her ears popping up in shock as Nick once again placed his paws on her hips. She felt the warm puff of his breath against the base of her ear as he leaned in close to be heard.

            “Don’t think, Carrots. Just move with me.”

            It took a moment for her limbs to unfreeze from the shock, but Judy managed to get out of it and start to mimic as best as she could the movements of the tod behind her. His paws remained where they were, gently guiding her hips from side to side. Once she mastered that, they moved to her arms, leaving behind a trail of heat up her sides. Taking hold of her paws, he guided her through some motions. It took her a bit to manage moving her hips at the same time as her paws, but once she got it, she couldn’t help the giggle that escaped her.

            “Look at that, Carrots.” Nick said into her ear as he continued to guide her through a few additional moves. “You’re dancing.”

            Indeed, she was. There was no toe-stepping, and they had yet to tumble to the floor--a new record for her. It filled her with a sense of giddiness, the same feeling she had felt when she had read her acceptance letter into the ZPA.

            She had done it.

            “Nick--!” She twirled around to thank the fox for helping her achieve this much. It may have been miniscule to other mammals, but to her, it was one step closer to her goal that didn’t seem so far away now. In her excitement, she didn’t take into account how close his muzzle was to hers, and their lips collided as she turned her head.

            Both their eyes widened at the contact, amethysts meeting emeralds amidst the moving bodies around them. For an infinite second, they stared at one another, unsure of what to do. Unprepared. Then, a slow heat spread from her lips, and Judy found her eyes fluttering close just as Nick’s eyes darkened slightly.

            _‘Finally…’_ Judy thought as she tilted her head to the side to deepen the kiss. Once she had gotten passed her initial attraction to the tod, she had thought that had been it. That that was all she’d like of the fox. She had been so very wrong. He was witty, intelligent, and with a sense of humor that knew no boundaries in regards to how many bad jokes he could dish out. Underneath it all, she had found a caring mammal with a passion that matched her own.

            The crush had turned into something more for her.

            The sudden absence of his lips against hers had her eyes flying open. Nick had the back of a paw pressed against his muzzle, his ears pinned down against his skull as he looked down at her with wide eyes.

            “Nick…?” She asked, confused.

            “I’m sorry, that was unprofessional of me.” The fox blurted out, suddenly unable to look at her. He glanced at his watch. “Oh! Look at the time; it’s late. I better get going, bye Carrots!”

            “Wait, Nick!” Judy called out at the fox’s rapidly retreating form, but he was quickly lost within the sea of moving bodies. In a matter of seconds, Judy was left confused, hurt, and alone.

~o.8.o~

Breath coming out in pants and heart pounding, Nick quickly made his way to the alley next to _La Rosa Negra_. Pressing his back firmly against the wall, the tod brought a paw up to clutch at his chest.

            _‘That was so stupid!’_ The fox closed his eyes as he pressed the back of his head against the wall. Amethyst eyes, grey fur, and a bright smile danced across his mind’s eye, and a low whine left his mouth. Ever since she first came tumbling into his life, the bunny had been consuming his thoughts. He had already admired her prior to their meeting, her tenacity and the strides she had made as the first of her species in the ZPD inspiring a tentative hope within him. Then he met her, saw that determination in action as she tried to learn how to dance, how her passion for it grew, and he was a goner. _‘No, you’re not.’_ He thought vehemently.

            As soon as he had realized he was attracted to Judy, Nick had done his best to keep things professional. This was one of the better jobs he’d ever had, and his profession was something he took very seriously. To possibly lose it because of a lack of professionality…

            “Damnit…” Nick muttered as he gently bumped the back of his head against the wall, his gaze staring straight up. Despite his reservations, he shouldn’t have acted like that. It was poor manners to leave a female by herself, especially in a nightclub.

            Resolving to go back inside to find her, the fox pushed himself off the wall and made his way to the mouth of the alley and back into the club. After spending more than thirty minutes looking for her, Nick cursed to himself.

            She was gone.

~o.8.o~

It was the night of the ZPD Charity Gala, the avenue for the event the _Palm Hotel_ ’s extravagant ballroom. With its opulent decor, high raised ceiling, and exquisite catering, it was fit for the wealthy mammals of Zootopia who desired to show off as they broadcasted the “good” they were doing by donating to the charity of choice for that year.

            All looked as if they belonged there, save one grey rabbit doe.

            Judy was a bundle of nerves as she bounced on the balls of her feet, dressed in a dress she felt entirely uncomfortable in, waiting outside the ballroom for a buck her parents insisted she take as her plus one despite her protests. Dressed in a dark violet evening gown with a low back Fru-Fru had forced upon her, the doe felt exposed and kept the matching shawl tightly around her shoulders as she waited.

            Scanning the crowd, her eyes landed on a rabbit buck heading her way, and she suppressed the need to roll her eyes outwardly. He was handsome, she supposed, with dark brown fur and striking blue eyes. He was dressed in a blue tuxedo the same shade as his eyes, and had a cockiness about him that was the source of her inner eye roll.

            Jonathan Leaps. While she had never truly interacted with him during their high school years, she hadn’t need to. The rumors about him, as well as the tales her sisters told her, were more than enough to paint the buck in a negative light. A fact that went right over her parents’ heads, as they were only focused on the fact that he was in _Zootopia_ for the weekend, and single.

            “It’s been a while, Judy. I hope I didn’t keep you waiting long.” He said as he adjusted the bow tie that was only slightly darker in color.

            “Of course not, Jonathan.” She lied as she forced a smile on her face. Judy felt like punching him as his eyes slowly glanced over her form, not liking the gleam in them at all.

            “You look beautiful.” Jonathan said as he finally met her eyes, and she noted that the words did not incite a blush like they had coming from another mammal’s mouth.

            “Thanks!” She smiled, even as a bit of saddened at the thought of emerald eyes and orange fur. “Let’s head inside.” Judy quickly suggested, before leading them into the ballroom without bothering to take Jonathan’s paw. Having already taken a look while she had been waiting, they arrived at the table with her name plate on it, and took their seats.

            “So, how have you been?” Jonathan asked as he took a look at menu the catering company had provided.

            “Oh, I’ve been well.” Judy answered as she also perused the menu. “You know, keeping the city safe. Making the world a better place. Cop stuff.”

            “Yes, I had heard that you managed to make your childhood delusions a reality.” Jonathan said as he set his menu down. Judy raised an incredulous brow at him. He didn’t seem to get it as he continued, not acknowledging her reaction. “While it is admirable, it is not suitable for a fine doe such as yourself to be in constant danger. If something were to happen, your fine breeding stock would die with you.” Throughout the dinner portion of the event, the buck went on about how it was important for extraordinary does like herself to pass on their genes with equally fine bucks, and then went on to embellish on his own accomplishments, outlining why he would be such a buck for her.

            By the time it was time to dance and mingle, Judy was just about done with the evening.

            “Would you like to dance?” Jonathan asked as he watched many couples take to the dance floor.

            “No.” Judy said without thought, her mood souring further at the thought of dancing. Ever since the kiss at _La Rosa Negra_ , Judy had not seen Nick. While she had been hurt by him leaving her alone, after she had cooled down, she could understand why he’d reacted the way he had. Dancing was his life, his first love, and his passion. Just like her own career was to her. Because of their mutual attraction, she was a threat to his dreams. Dreams that could be put to a halt if he had unprofessionalism attached to his records. So, out of respect for him and his dreams, Judy had called in to cancel her last week of lessons, but had declined a refund. After stepping on his feet so much, he had managed to teach her something, so he deserved the full pay.

            She just didn’t think she could ever dance again, not when it reminded her of the fox.

            Ignoring the buck’s irritated grumblings, and resigning herself to further torture, Judy watched the mammals on the dance floor. It was different than the type of dancing she had seen at the club, but it was graceful, and she longed to be a part of it. She barely noticed Jonathan leave the table as she continued to watch the other mammals dance, nearly mesmerized by their movement.

            Movement in her peripheral snapped her out of her slight trance, and zeroed in on a large, familiar, reddish brown paw in front of her. Her eyes slowly trekked up the arm connected to the paw, finding it covered in a black material, until her eyes met apprehensive and hopeful emeralds.

            “May I have this dance, Ms. Hopps?” Nick asked, paw outstretched to her as he kept the other behind his back. He waited with baited breath for her decision, knowing full well she had every right to deny him. After he had found out she had cancelled their sessions, he hadn’t been surprised. But it did not stop him from longing to see her again. Terrible as she had been at dancing, there was a chemistry between them that he could not fight against, even if he tried. Which he had, and failed completely in the process.

            Little as it may amount to, this was his way of apologizing. When she slipped her dainty little paw into his, he felt his heart speed up a bit as his smile softened.

            Gently leading her out onto the dance floor, the two settled into the frame they had managed to make work for them despite their height difference. When Nick went to take a leading step forward, something miraculous happened. Judy did not stumble, nor did she step on his foot. Instead, the doe was able to follow his lead, and let the soft musical notes guide her. Admittedly, they were dancing at a much slower rate than the other mammals on the dance floor, making it seem as if they were walking to the music flowing around them. However, it was more than enough for them.

            “I want to apologize.” Nick said softly, his eyes trained on hers. “For leaving you that night.” He explained when Judy had sent him a questioning glance.

            Understanding softened her gaze. “It’s okay, I understand. Dance means everything to you.”

            “It does.” He nodded. “It still doesn’t excuse how I acted. I went back in to look for you, to apologize, but...you were already gone.” Nick looked away as he whispered the last part.

            Judy’s sharp ears caught it, and she stopped dancing, making Nick stop. Reaching up on her tiptoes, she placed a paw on his cheek to get him to look at her. She gave him a gentle smile. “You’re here now. That’s all that matters.”

            Searching her eyes, he gave her a smile, which she returned. It then morphed into one of a teasing nature. “You’re just glad I saved you from that dud over there.” The fox said as he jerked his head behind her.

            Confused, she turned to see who he meant, and groaned. Jonathan was watching them with an expression that was simultaneously livid and fearful. It was obvious he wanted to storm right over to the couple and give them a piece of his mind, yet his obvious fear of Nick kept him at bay.

            Turning back around to face the tod, she gave him a sheepish smile. “Maybe.”

            The two resumed their slow dancing, content to do so in silence, when Nick spoke once more. His ears were red as he spoke. “So, now that you’re no longer my student, I was wondering--”

            “Are you asking me out on a date, Nick?” Judy interrupted with a growing smile.

            “No,” Nick deadpanned. “I was stating a fact until you interrupted me.” That got a giggle out of her, and he smiled. “Impatient bunny.”

            “Shy fox.”

            Nick glanced away, not denying her statement. “So, will you? Go out with me?”

            “Only if you kiss me.” Judy said softly, her ears flushed red as they laid limply against her back.

            His own ears burning up at her words, the fox couldn’t help but grin as he faced her. “Who am I to deny a lady?” He murmured as he leaned in slowly, closing the gap between their lips.

 


End file.
